Method



March 11 1924.

w. E. HOKE METHODOF AND MACHINE FQH MAKING GAUGES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed March 13 1920 A6 A7 A8 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I n 1 l i l a 1 l I I March 11 1924.

W. E. HOKE METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING GAUGES AND OTHER ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Mar Patented Mar. 11, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. HOKE, or s'r. Louis, MISSOURI.

Application filed Mei-oh 1a, 1920. Serial no. 365,458.

' To aZZ whom it army concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. Home, a citizen of the. United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain I new and usefnl Improvements in Methods of and Machines for MakingGauges and Other Articles, of which the fDllOWlIlg is a specification.

This 'nvention relates to a method which is similar in. some respects to the methods presented in my-oopending application for methods ofidentical articles, Serial No. 252,073, filed ug. 30, 1918, and in my copending application for methods of and 16 machines for making gnu es and other orticles, Serial No; 289,591, fi ed Apr.'12 19.19. In accordance with, the present invention '1 provide certain improved features of method particularly adapted for the makin 20 of gauge blocks having their opposite en faces at predetermined angles to each other and the method as concerns some of its features is limited to the'maki'ng of such gouge blocks. The invention further relates to an improved machine for practising the method herein set forth. 1

One of the objects of'the present invention is toprovide an improved method of lapping or reducing gauge blocks and provide them with opposite flat faces at predetermined angles to each other. Another object of the invention is to provide in con unction 'withthe lapping method an unproved method whereby the angles formed may be checked andmeesured. A, further object of the invention is to. provide an mproved lapping method not necessarily limited to the apping of an 'le gauges and involving the ap licetion o pressnre to rela- 40 tivel movable la'psat positions in approximate 3 fixed relation to the blocks being lapped. A still further object of the invention is to providef an improved machine adapted for ca'rr ing' out the features of the method last a ove set forth. Still further objects of the invention w1ll be apparentfrom the following specification and claims. a

In the! accomphnying drawings I have illustrated diagrammatically machine whereby, the method may be practised, the said machine embodying" the mechanical features of'the invention. It will be understood, that the drawings are entirely diagrammatic in character, being intended merely to illustrate the principles of the invention. The drawings, therefore, are to be considered as being merely illustrative and are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention the accompanying claims being relied upon for that purpose.

' Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is an and elevation.

; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views illustrating various arrangements of the blocks being lapped.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a method of measurement constituting a part of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a. view' similar to Fig. 7 but. illustrating another form of the method of measurement.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but illustrating still another form of the method of measurement.

Referring particularly to. Figs. 1 to 3 r of the drawings, 1 and 2 are large plates or laps arranged in opposite relationship and provided respectively with adjacent fiat surfaces 3 and 4. The laps may be made of cast ironor of other suitable material and the surfaces 3 and 4 are made as flat as possible in accordance with any. usual or preferred method for the production of flat surfaces.

As already stated, the invention is particularly adapted for the making of angle gauges or blocks having fiat end surfaces with predetermined angles between them.

The angle gauges or. blocks are initially formed with end faces arranged at approxim'ately. the desired angle, the bloclrsbcing hardened and the endfeces :being ground.

shown the blocks are represented by A and the opposite end faces thereof are. represented lay b and a. .The side surfaces dc! and e -e of the blocks. are preferably all perpendicular to one of the.- end surfaces as, for instance, I: and preferably the larger side faces oL-ml are made .fintnnd parallel by any usual 0: preferred method. 2

In practising my .improved method a number of the gauge blocks A formed liminarily as aforesaid are arranged in a row with their relatively angularly disposed faces I) and 0 approximately in the same planes respective y. The gauge blocks are placed between the two laps 1 and 2 which are adjusted angularly so t mt their working surfaces 3 and 4 are in engagement or a proximately in engagement respective y with the relatively angularly disposed faces I) and c of the blocks. The laps 1 and 2 are not rigidly held or positively guided but are free to just themselves angularl in accordance with the angles between the block faces and in accordance with initial variations in the blocks.

I do not limit myself as concerns the broader phases of the invention to any exact relative positioning of the gauge blocks and laps. I refer, however to arrange the laps vertical y with the bloclxs in a vertical row between them. The lsppingsurfaoes 3 and 4 are charged or otherwise coated with abrasive material and under some circumstances it isprefcrablc to have the surfaces vertical rather than horizontal or a roximately horizontal so that there wi e no tendency for the larger and coarser particles of abrasive to collect on the lower la and thus cause the lapping action at the ower lap to be difi'cront from that at the upper lap. I prefer and have illustrated an arrangement whereby the gaiwe blocks are held stationary or substantially so and whereby the laps are bodily moved with re- 'spect to the blocks.

For holding the blocks I provide a. stationary plate 5 having an aperture into which the blocks are loosely fitted. Preferably the laps are reciprocated'in -opposite directions. The reciprocation may take place vertically or horizontally and I prefer to combine these two movements to avoid any possible scratching or scouring of the locks which might take place if reciprocation were to be effected in one direction only.' As illustrated, the laps are carried by a cable 6 passing over a ulley 7, the laps thus serving to counterbalance each other, and they can readily be reciprocated vertically in opposite directions manually or by some suitable power mechanism not shown. In order that the laps may be reciprocated horizontally each of them carries a vertical rod 8 which passes through a slot in a centrally ivoted lever 9. It will be seen that by roclzing this lever manually or by some suitable power mechanism not shown the two laps can be reciprocated horizontally in opposite directions. The rods 8 are sufficicntly long to permit the horizontal reciprocations to be efiected without interfering with the vertical reciprocations. Preferably the vertical reci rocetions are efi'ected relatively rapidly an the horizontal reciprocation relatively slowly. It is particular- 1y important that the horizontal reciprocations take place oppositely because on account of the relatively angular position of the laps each of them crosses the path of the other as indicated by dot-and-dash lines in Fip. .1.

t is necessary to apply a considerable pressure between the laps and the blocks and when the laps are arranged vertically as herein shown the ressure must be applied mechanically. -t is highly desirable to ap ly the pressure in such a way that it will e substantiall uniformly distributed over the block sur aces and it is therefore desirable tohave the points of application of the pressure symmetrically located with respect to the block surfaces taken as a whole. In order that this; relationship may he maintained the positions at which pressure is applied must be located in up roximately fixed relation to the group of b oclrs. When the blocks are stationary as herein shown the places-of pressure application are also statmnary. As illustrated, there are two wheels 1010 engaging the outer surface of each lap, these wheels being connected with levers -1111 and springs 1212 in such a way that the wheels exert a uniform pressure a .ainst the laps. The wheels have no b0 ily movement except such minor movements as are necessary to adjust themselves to the positions of the laps. The wheels are'located ap roximatcly symmetrically with respect to tie surfaces bein lapped. The distribution of pressure on t e blocksurfaces is therefore substantially the same for all'positions of the laps.- The arrangement of the wheels is such. as to freely ermit the ra id vertical reciprocations 0 the laps wit out however interfering with the slow horizontal reciprocations.

In practicing the invention the blocks after having been preliminarily formed as before stated are arranged in arow and are suitably secured in fixed relationship to each other by clamping or soldering or cementing or by wringing together the surfaces d-rl'or in any other suitable manner. The

blocks having thus been connected together are mounted in the plate 5 between the laps 1 and 2 and the laps are recip'rocate l in the manner stated. until the several surfaces b-.b and 0-0 of the blocks have been reduced to the same planes. If the surfaces 3 and 4 are perfectly flat as is pro-supposed then the faces 6 and c of the several blocks will. be not only flat but also at the samr angle to each other. The faces I: and r: are suflioientlynccnrate to permit adjacent faces of different blocks to be placed. orwrung together and held by the well-known ad hering action of flat surfaces. However. the said faces b and a will not necessarily be perpendicular to the side surfaces a'r-d. In order to make the blocksnbsolutely identical they are removed from between the laps and separated and the relative positions of some of the blocks are changed. This changing can be effected in different ways, two such ways being illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Fig. 4 shows a series of blocks A to A as initially arranged in a row for the first lapping operation. Some of the blocks may be interchanged as illustrated in Fig. 5. As shown, alternate blocks starting from the opposite ends of the row are transposed. Assuming that the blocks atone end of the row initially averaged somewhat larger than those at the other end it will be clear that this variation would be retained to some extent after the first lappin operation. The transposing of some of tie blocks as shown in Fig. 5 will place the larger and the smaller. blocks in alternate vrelationship. Another method of changing the relative positions of some. of the blocks is shown in ig. 6. In this view as illustrated, alternate blocks have been turned over so as to interchange the positions of the faces 6 and a.

After the relative positions of some of the blocks have been changed either as illustrated in Fig. 5 or as illustrated in Fig. 6 or in some other manner the blocks are again fastened together as aforesaid, care being taken to get all. the faces at one end positioned in the same plane. This can be done by placing the blocks on one of the laps 1 or 2 or on some other convenient flat surfaceso that all of the faces I) or all of the faces 0 are in engagement with the said flat surface.

At the same time care should be taken to bring all of the surfaces e at one end into a common plane. The blocks having been again fastened together are restored [to place liPiX-YQP!) the laps and the lapping operation repeated. The lapping and dhanging operations; are repeated alternately luntil the hie-its have not. only identical angles but :H'c a so of the same size, with the surfaces 1 l" and r exactly perpendicular to the surfaces Till LI -"n llv the method as thus far dcs cribed the blocks are formed with identical .angles but it is by no means certain that the angles are the desired or predetermined angles. It is then necessary to measure theangles and to make suitable corrections. An errors in the angles of the blocks can e approximntcly corrected by hand or by repeating the lapping between the laps :jnd applying nni-vcn pressure. After approximates-4% n.

roll ions have been made as before stated lapping I and changing operations are reimited as already described until identity of the :a-w ral angles is again attained. The

aligns are again measured and if an error is Eli found further approximate corrections "m le. 'lhcse operations are continued will exactly the desired angles are obtained.

The mea uring of the angles of the blocks is preferably effected in the way illustrated in Figs. 7 t0 9. It is difficult to measure the angle of a single block with accuracy particularly when there is no standard angle available which is the same as that desired and even when a standard angle is available appreciable errors will occur in the measurement of any one block. I therefore prefer to measure the angles of a number of blocks arranged in multiple as shown in Fig. 7 When the desired angle is a divisor of 180 then a number of blocks can he placed to gether or built up to form a resultant angle which is supposedly 180 and which can be checked u or measured by means of an ordinary at late. As illustrated, the res ctive flat "aces b and c of the several b ocks are wrung together to form an angle which is supposedly 180 and this is checked by attempting to ring both of the end sur faces of the series upon a flat plate such as S. If the blocks will wring to the flat plate then the observer knows that the angles of all of the blocks are exactly correct. It any error is found the observer will know that this total error is a multiple of the error of each individual block and can make corrections on the individual blocks sulficient to correct the total error. By then relapping as aforesaid the blocks can be restored to exactly identical angles. After that the angles can again be tested and these operations can be continued until the exact predetermined angles are obtained.

lrVhen the desired angle is not a divisor of 180 it is still ossible to make use of a flat plate-such as By first making preliminary sets ofblocks such as A and B which are divisors of 180, it is possible to use these in combination with the blocks to be finally made in such a way as to build up a total angle of 180. As illustrated in Fig. 8, there is a block A having an angle of 30, a block B having an angle of and ten blocks C to C having identical angles which are supposedly 13. For convenience use may be made of a block or plate S having opposite flat parallel faces. By lapping and correotin the blocks C to C so that the total ange is 180" the said blocks C to C will be formed with angles of exactly 13.

Another method of measuring is illus-. trated in'Fig. 9. In this case use is made v, several identical blocks having an ange which is a divisor of 180 and these blo (s are combined to make a resultant angle ferent from 180". Then by combining other series of blocks to make an angle w is supposedly the same as that forme the first blocks and by comparing an routing. the angle of the second blocls an be made to have the predetermined "w ue. As illustrated in Fig. 9, there are five bl clis A to A each having an angle of ,fthus its making a total angle of 150. There are six blocks D to U each havin an angle of 25, these also making an ange of 150. For convenience in comparing use is made of two fiat plates R and T.

lVhat I claim is:

1. The method of reducing a number of similar but not necessarily identical blocks to produce opposite flat faces at identical angles to each other which consists in ar ranging the several blocks in a row with their relatively angularly disposed faces approximately in the same planes res ectively and in engagement. or approximate y in engagement respectively with two relatively angnlarly disposed flat laps, permitting the laps to adjust themselves angularl in accordance with the angles between t e block faces, and causing movement between the blocks and the la s to effect lap ing while maintaining the locks arranged in a row as aforesaid.

2. The method of inducing a number of similar but not necessarily identical blocks to produce opposite fiat faces at identical angles to each other, which consists in arranging the several blocks in a row with their relatively angularly disposed faces approximately in the same lanes and in engagement or approximate y in engagemei-t respectively wit two relatively angularl disposed flat laps, permitting the laps to ad just themselves angularly in accordance with the angles between the block faces, simultaneously reciprocating the laps in two directions at an angle to each other to effect lapping while maintaining the blocks ar.

ranged in a row as aforesaid.

3. The method of reducing a number of similar but not necessarily identical blocks to produce opposite flat faces at identical angles to each other, which consists in arranging the several blocks in a row with their relatively angularly disposed faces approximately in the same planes and in engagement or approximately in engagement respectively with two" relatively an u larly disposed flat laps, permitting the a s to adjust themselves angularly in accor ance with the angles between the block faces, and reciprocating the laps oppositely in the direction of the aforesaid angles to effect lapping whilemaintaining the blocks arranged in a row as aforesaid, each lap moving into and out of the path of movement of the other.

4. The method of reducing a number of similar but not necessarily identical blocks having flat side faces to produce opposite flat faces at identical angles to each other and perpendicular to the said side faces, which consists in arranging the several blocks in a row with the said side faces parallel and with their relatively angularly disposed ,larl the block faces and in accordance with the faces approximately in the same Planes and in engagement or ap ilroximately 1D engagement respectively wit two relatively angularly disposed flat laps, permitting the la. to adjust themselves angularly in accorsf ance with the angles between the block faces and in accordance with the sizes of the blocks, causin movement between the blocks and the%aps to effect lap ing while maintainin the locks arrange in a row as a foresai changing the relative positions of some of the blocas to distribute variations in the angles and in the sizes, and repeating the lapping and changing operations alternately until identical angles and sizes are obtained.

5. The method of reducing a number of similar but not necessarily identical blocks having flat side faces to produce opposite flat faces at identical angles to each other and perpendicular to the said side faces,

which consists in arranging the several blocks in a row with the said side faces parallel and with their relatively angularly disposed faces approximately in the same;

planes and in engagement or ap roximately in engagement respectively wit two relatively angularly disposed flat laps, permitting the laps to adjust themselves angularly in accordance with the angles between the block faces'and in'aiecorda'nce with the sizes of the blocks, causing movement between the blocks and the laps to effect lapping while maintaining the blocks arranged in a. row as aforesaid, changing the relative ositions of some of the blocks reversing t em and b by moving them to difl'grent positions in the row to distribute variations in the and in the sizes, and repeating the lapping operations alternately until identical angles and sizes are obtained. 7

6. The method of reducing a number of similar but not necessarily identical blocks having flat side faces to produce opposite flat faces at predetermined identical angles to each other and perpendicular to the said side faces, which consists in arranging the several blocks in a row with the said side faces parallel and with their relatively angularly disposed faces approximately in the same planes and in engagement or approximately in engagement respectively with two relatively angularly disposed flat laps, permitting the la s to adjust themselves anguin accor ance with the angles between sizes of the blocks, causing movement between the blocks and the laps to effect lapping while maintaining the blocks arran d in arow as a o resaid, changing the relative corresponding angle faces at one end 10- acted in the same plane, and repeating the aforesaid operations in succession until iden tical angles and sizes are ohtaincd.

T. The method of reducing a number of similar hut not necessarily identical blocks in produce opposite lint faces at predetermined i entical angles to each other, which consists in arranging the icrcral hloclcs in a row with their re atively ingularly disposed faces iip uuximnteiy in the some planes rcs icctiwlsi' Eillll. in cn zizi ci'nent or approximately in eugagcmont respcctivcl with two relatively angularly disposed. flat laps, permitting the laps to adjust themselves augularly in accordance with the angles between the block'faces and in accordance with the sizes of the blocks, causing movement between the blocks and the laps to efi'cct lapping while maintaining the blocks arranged in a row as aforesaid, measuring the angles between the faces, approximately correcting any error, again lapping as aforesaid. and .repcating the measuring, correcting and lapping operations in succession until the predetermined identical angles are obtained.

8. The method of reducing a number of similar but not necessarily identical blocks having flat side faces to produce opposite fiat faces at predetermined identical angles to each other and perpendicular to the said side faces, which consists in arranging the several blocks in a row with the said side faces parallel and with their relatively angularly disposed faces approximately in the some planes and in engagement 0! approximately in engagement respectively with two relatively angularly disposed flat laps, pcrmitting the 1a 5 to adjust themselves angulurly in accor ance with the angles between the block faces and in accordance with the sizes of the blocks, causing movement between the blocks and the laps to effect lapping while maintaining the blocks arranged in a row as aforesaid, changing the relative positions of some of the blows to drihule variations in the angles and in the sizes, repeating: the lapping and changing opera tious alternately until identical ai'igrlcs and sizes are obtained, measuring the said angles, approximately correcting any error, and repeating the aforesaid operations in succession until the predetermined identical angles are obtained.

9. The method of making a number of similar hlocks with faces at predetermined identical angles, which consists in suhjecting the blocks to a reducing operation whercby they are formed with identical angles epproximating the desired angles, stopping the reducing operation and placing the blocks together to build 11 an angle approximating a known stander angle, com aring the built-up angle with the standarangle, ap-

proximately correcting the total error if any, nml repealing the comparing, correcting and reducing operations in succession until the ill'ltlllil'llllll\l identical angles are exactly ol-fninwl.

i "h method of mailing n numher of similar block: \iiih lure ill iH'Lllillllllllllfd i lcnl. i Ulifilvw, whi h muss ls in HHlIjLCUHg n p. lllllxtil uumhrr of him i to a reducin; operul ion v. lri' h y are ()llilll \Hlll iilvuiiml singles iiili'i-vcul lnmi The mid prodcivrminml angl s. stopping the reducing operation uml l'iiiili'ilgj the blocks together to build up an angle of 356! formed by a llat plate. comparing the huilbup un il, with the standard angle, approximately correcting the total error if any, repeating" the comparing, correcting and reducing operations in succession until known identical angles are exactly obtained, and repeating the aforesaid operations with the block to he finally made, using: one or more of the said prelimina y Ii-locks lo form angles for purposes of ci'un iarison.

ll. The method of reducino a number of similar but not necessarily identical blocks having flat side faces to produce opposite flat faces at identical angles to each other and perpendicular to the said side faces,

which consists in arranging the several blocks in a row with thesaid side faces parallel and with their relatively augularly disposed i'iucs gqwgnorzinmtely 1n the some planes and in engagement or approxnnnlcl in engagement respectively with two relotivcly angularly disposed fiat laps, permit ling the laps to adjust themselves nngularlv in accordance with the angles between the block faces and in accordance with the sizes of the blocks, causing movement between the liloclis and the laps to effect lapping while maintaining the blocks arranged in a row as aforesaid, changing the relative positions of some of the hloclis to distribute variations in the e l in the sizes, repeating the lapping and or 15 operations :iltcfinil'ely nnlil idcniiv; i and sizes are obtained, stopping the loresaiil reducing: opcratiijins and placing the lilorlis io zcll'icr in build up an angle ap 'iroxmnting :1 known standard angle, cmuparing the built-up angle with the standard angle, approximately. correcting the total .crror if any. and repeating the comparing, correcting and niacin; operations in succession until the predetermined identical angles; are efizncil v obtained 12. The method of reducing a umber of similar but not necessarily identical blocks to produce opposite flat end faces in identical rela ion to each other, which consists in arranging the several blocks in a definite group hetwer two opposed fiat laps, permitting the hips to relatively adjust themselves in accordance with initial variations in the blocks, causing movement between the blocks and the laps to efl'ect lapping; and applying pressure to the laps at osltions in approximately fixed relation to t to group of blocks.

13. The method of reducing a, number of similar but not necessarily identical blocks to produce opposite flat end faces in identical relation to each other, which consists in arranging the several blocks in a definite group between two opposed flat laps, permittin the laps to relatively adjust themselves in accordance with initial variations in the blocks; reciprocating the la s in opposite directions with respect to t e blocks to effect lapping, and applying pressure to the laps atpositions in approximately fixed relation to the group of blocks.

14. The method of reducing a number of similar but not necessarily identical blocks to produce opposite flat end faces in identical relation to each other, which consists in arranging the several blocks in a definite group between two opposed fiat vertical laps, permitting the laps to relatively adjust themselves in accordance with initial varia V tions in the blocks, causing vertical more ment between the blocks and the laps to effect lapping, and applying pressure to the laps at positions in approximately fixed relation to the group of blocks.

15. lhe method of reducing a number of similar but not necessarily identical blocks to produce opposite fiat end faces in identical relation to each other, which consists in arranging the several blocks in a definite group etween two opposed fiat laps having their lapping surfaces disposed in vertical planes, moving th laps in the lapping planes so as to produce a rapid vertical lap pin action and a relatively slower horizon tal apping action.

16. A lapping machine including coin hination, two opposed laps having flat s'oi-l:--

ing surfaces and mounted for free rclatin;

angular adjustment, means for holding}; blocks to be lapped," means for efiepting relative movement between the laps and said holding means to effect lapping, and means in approximately fixed relation to said holding means for applying pressure to the laps. 17. A lapping machine including in combination, two opposed laps having flat working surfaces an mounted for free relative angular adjustment, means for holding blocks to be lapped, means for oppositely reci roosting the la s with respect to said hol ing means to e set is ping. and means in approximately fixed rel tion to said holding means for applying pressure to the laps.

18. A lapping machine including in combination, two op osed vertical laps having flat working sur aces and mounted for tree relative angular ad'ustment, means for holding blocks to be lapped, means for effecting composite vertical and horizontal movement between the laps and sail t holding means to effect lapping, and means in approximately fixed relation to said holding mcansLfor applying pressure to the laps.

19. 18 including means whereby the rate of vertical movement and the rate of horizontal movement may be separately controlled.

In testimony whereof, I hereto ail-ix my signature:

WILLIAM E. HOKE.

upping machine according to claim 

